Automatic stitch-adjusting mechanism for embroidering-machines



(No-Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

l R. T. sMTH. AUTOMATIC STITCH ADJUSTING MEHANISM FOR EMBRIDERING BAJACHIBHSS.l

Patented Mam.y 4, 1890.

J Il INVEN'I? man,

WITNESSES N. PETERS. Phum-Lilhagmphvr, wnshngmn, D. c,

(No Mqdel.) 3 Sheets-Shelet2- R. T. SMITH.

AUTOMATIC STITCH ADJUSTTNG MEGHANTSM TOR EMBROTDERTNG f MACHINES. No. 422,894.

Patented Mar. 1890.

WITNESSES INVENTOR WWA 5% QM 2m@ 6fm?.

N. PETERS. Phnwulhognpher. Wamlnglnn. D. CA

AUTOMATIC STITCH ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR EMBROIDERING MACHINES.

Patented Mar. 4, 1890.

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INVENTOR UNITEDV STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROSVELL T. SMITH, OF` NASHUA, NEV HAMPSHIRE.

AUTOMATIC STITCH-ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR EMBROIDERING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,894, dated March 4, 1890.

' Application tiled August 5, 1889. Serial No. 319,852. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RosWELL T. SMITH, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stitch- Adjusting Mechanism for Embroidering-Niachines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of devices shown in my patent, No. 377,410, dated February 7, 1888, which have for their object to effect an automatic movement of the tambourframe of embroidering-machines, so as to permit the working of any desired design upon the fabric held by said frame. In the device shown in said patent I effected the adjustment of the tambour-frame necessary to secure the desired length of stitch by a stepby-step movement, each step having the length of a common unit.

The immediat-e and main purpose of my present invention is to secure a continuous movement of the tambour-frame for any distance from the unit of movement to any multiple thereof. To accomplish this, the vertical and horizontal slide-bars, to both of which the pantograph-arm is connected, have movement imparted to them by rack-bars and paWl-carrying levers, substantially as in my former device; but one or the other or two of said levers, instead of operating by successive reciprocations to impart astep-by-step movement to the tambour-frame until the desired length of stitch is formed, are rst selected for operation by means of a pattern mechanism, and then the lever or levers so selected are caused to move a certain distance by means of a reciprocating` cross-head, the extent of movement in every case being determined by a pattern mechanism an d devices to be described hereinafter. I employ four rods or bars and their corresponding selectors, substantially like those employed in my former device; but in the present instance these four rods and selectors have the sole function, in connection With the pattern vmechanism, of determiningthe direction of movement of the tambour-frame. Otherselectors and the devices above referred to have the function of determining the extent of the movement of the tambour-frame and of producing the movement.

The particular mechanism which I have found to be a convenient and desirable embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mechanism, parts being` broken out to show other parts more clearly. Fig. 2 is a section on the line asxof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the mechanism, with parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a plan of the pattern or stencil paper. Figs. G and 7 are details to be referred to.

In the drawings, 1 represents the supporting frame-work of the mechanism. A crankshaft 2 and pitmen 3 impart continuous reciprocation to a cross-head 4, which slides in ways 5 in the side of the frame. Upon the cross-head are pivoted two series of dogs or selectors 6 and 7. The dogs of one series are employed for selecting and operating the devieeswvhich effect the horizontal movement of the pantograph-arln, While the dogs of the other series are employed for selecting and operating the devices which effect the vertical movement of said arm. Each dog or selector, as shown, is in the form of an elbow-lever with a vertical and a horizontal arm, and in the outer end is secured a pin 6 or 7 a, the horizontal arms being odset to permit the pins to stand in line, the one behind the other. The stencil-sheet 8, Which co-operates with these pins to determine the position of the selectors, and through them to control the direction and extent of the adj ustments of the tambour-frame, is supported by and moves over a fixed cylinder or shell9, pierced with holes corresponding to the pins 6 and 7 :1, and in turn supported by the crossbar 10 and stands 10, which are` carried by the cross-head et. The shell and stencil are thus made to reciprocate with the cross-head and the selectors. The stencil is engaged by gears 11, fast to the shaft 12, which carries also the pulley 13 and the ratchet-Wheel 14. The ratchet-wheel is actuated from a cam 15 on the shaft 2 through a spring-pressed lever 16, pivoted at 17 to the frame 1, which strikes a feeding-bolt 18, sliding in bearings in a bracket attached to the cross-head and pro- IOO ' wheel.

wardly-exten din g arms substan ti all y vertical;

jecting through the side frame. The bolt is thrown backward `by a spring 19, and in its forward movement, under the pressure of the lever 16, engages the teeth of the ratchetwheel. The stencil is thus driven with a step-by-step movement in harmony with the reciprocations of the cross-head. The front bearing of the bolt in the bracket is an elongated vertical slot 20, at the bottom of which the bolt is held by a spring 21. This construction permits the bolt to work with ease and with but slight friction upon the ratchet- The pulley 13 may be made to turn a take-up roll for that part of the stencil which has been used.

The stencil is made, preferably, of heavy Manila paper, and is provided with two series of openings corresponding, respectively, to the two vseries of pins 6a and 7, and designed for co-operation therewith. To facilitate the perforation of the stencil, I print it in the manner shown in Fig. 5. IIoles cut above the longer lines control the action of one series of dogs, while those cut above the shorter lines control the other series. As a matter of convenience I set apart the two outer spaces of each row to represent and control the direction of movement of the tambour-frame, while the remaining spaces represent and control the extent of the movement, in this instance the spaces above the longer lines representing and controlling, through the selectors 6,`the extent of movement in horizontal directions, and those above the shorter lines representing and controlling, through the selectors 7, the extent of movement in vertical directions. By cutting holes in such manner as to cause the action Vof selectors of diiferent series at the same time a diagonal movement of the tambour-frame may be produced.

Extending from one side frame to the other and between the shell 9 and the cross-head 4 is a cross-bar 22, bearing a series of stop-pins 23, with which the horizontal arms of the selectors come in contact as they descend, and by which the outer ends of said arms are raised and the pins 6 7 therein are lifted from the shell and stencil.

The operation of this portion of my device is as follows: J ust before the cross-head 4 reaches the lowest point in its reciprocations the extending arms of the selectors 6 7 strike the pins 23, causing the other arms of said selectors to swing back from the' vertical plane'in which they stand normally and raising the lpins 6a. 7 away from the stencil, leaving'it free to move. Immediately the cam 15 strikes the lever 16 and the bolt 18 is thrown forward into engagement with the ratchetwheel, driving the stencil forward a distance equal lo the width of the two rows of perforations, and thus bringing a new set of perforations beneath the pins 6,a 7 As 'the cross-head rises the selectors will tend to resume their `normal position with their upbut as the pins 6a 7 strike the stencil-sheet the selectors will be held back, except as the pins of certain of them find perforations in the stencil-sheet, when such selectors will swing forward, bringing their upwardly-extending arms into vertical and operative position. The continued upward movement of the cross-head causes such selectors to effect certain results, as hereinafter described.

Above each series of selectors is placed a sliding bracket moving in ways in the side frames, wholly independent the one of the other, and acting to produce independent results, the one 24 effecting the horizontal movement of the tambour-frame and the other 59 eifecting the vertical movement thereof. Each of said sliding brackets has pins 24L 59a projecting from the under side thereof and standing in a vertical plane over its corresponding series of selectors 6 7,'a'nd each receives loosely through itself the headed bolts 24b and 59h, which are secured to the cross-head and are designed to draw the bracket down to its initial position after it has been pushed up. The pins projecting from the brackets are of different length, as shown, the end pin of one series and the opposite end pin of the other series representing in length a unit of movement of the pantograph, and the successive pins in each series representing successive multiples of such unit. As the pins stand in the path of the selectors 6 7'when the latter are in operative position, it will be seen that the` brackets will be moved upward with each reciprocation of the cross-head, and that the extent of movement will be a unit or some multiple thereof, according to the selector which is lallowed by .the stencil to stand in operative position.

The means for imparting the movement of these brackets to the pantograph have now to be described.

As in my said former patent, the motor-arm A of the pantograph carries in its extremity a pin a, which projects on both sides of the arm and has one end lying in the slot of a vert-ical arm and the other in a slotof a horizontal arm. Movement of the tambour-frame is effected through the pantograph-arm by the movement of one-or both of these crossarm's, and the direction and extent of movement of the framewill be determined by the direction and extent of movement of the cross-arms, movement of one or the other of the cross-arms giving movement to the frame in a horizontal or a vertical direction, and movement of both cross-arms together giving movement to the frame in a direction other than the vertical or the horizontal. The cross-arm 25, which eifects Vthe horizontal movement, is carried by a slide-bar 26, which moves in a horizontal slideway 27,being held frictionally thereto by the bolt and springwasher indicated at V28. The bar is formed near one end with two racks or sets of ratchet-teeth, the one 29 being adapted for its propulsion to the right (in Fig. 1) andthe IOO IIO

other for its propulsion to the left. Ful-` l 24, and so transmit the movement of said bracket to the slide-bar and arm. A similar elbow-lever 35 carries a spring-pressed pawl 36 for engagement with the rack 29, and a rod 37, having a projection 38, which maybe caused to stand in the path of a second pin 39, also attached to the sliding bracket. A pin 40, attached to rod 37 in the plane of rod 33, prevents the simultaneousengagement of both rods with thev pins 34 and 39. Reliefplates 42 are secured to the slideway to support the pawls 32 and 36 when the elbow-levers are at rest. These pawl-carrying levers, with their immediately-connected parts, constitute feeders for the slidebars and their arms.

It will be seen readily that the movement of the sliding bracket 24, the extent of which is determined by the selectors 6 andthe pins 24, will cause the movement of the bar 25 to the right or left, according as one or the other of lthe rods 33 or 37 is brought into the line of movement of its respective pin 34 or 39. Themeans for controlling the rods 33 and 37 will now be describeds Over the two right-hand selectors of the series 6, I place the two rods 43 and 44, which slide freely in bearings in the sliding bracket 24 in a bracket 45, attached to the sideframe, and in the upper cross-tie. The rods are held from falling too far by the nuts 46, and

are pressed downward by the springs 47, aeting uponnuts 48. Both rods are provided with the oppositelyset cams 49. Pivoted to the bracket 45 are the arms 50 5l, having cams corresponding to the cams 49, and having the slides 52 and 53 pivotally and loosely secured to their upperends. The slides are slotted and held to the slideway 27 by screws which pass through the slots, so that they may move freelyv thereon. The slide 52 is formed with a shoulder 54 to engage with the rod 33, and the slide 53- with a shoulder 55 to engage with the rod 37. A spring 56, having its ends secured to the arms 50 and 51, insures the return of the slides to normal position after movement. lf the selector beneath rod finds a perforation in the stencill for its pin 6i, as the cross-head moves upward the selector will strike said rod and push it upward, thrusting the arm 50 and slide 52 to the right and bringing rod 33 into the path of pin 34, and thereby causing a movement of the slide-bar 26iand arm 25 to the left. If the selector beneath rod 44 iinds a perforation, the slide-bar and arm would be moved to the right.

The cross-arm 60, which effects t-he vert-iE cal movement of the pantograph-arm, is ca`rried by a slide-bar 61, which moves in a ver tical slideway 62, being held, trictionally thereto by a bolt and spring-washer 63.' The means for imparting the movement of the sliding bracket 59 to the slide-bar 61 and arm 60 are similar to nthose for imparting the movement of the sliding bracket 24 to the slide-bar 26 and arm 25, but will be described in detail. The bar 61 is formed with two racks 64 and 65, adapted forits propulsion in opposite directions. A lever 66, fulerumed at one end to the frame, carries at the other end a spring-pressed pawl 67 for engagement with the rack 64 and the rod 68, which may be caused to stand in the path of movement of a pin 69, carried by an arm 70, extending downwardly from the sliding bracket 59 into convenient position. An elbow-lever 71, fulcrumed to the frame, carries at one end a spring-pressed pawl 72 for engagement with the rack 65, and has its'other end connected by a rod 73 with one end of a reverselyset elbow-lever 74. The other end of the latter lever carries a rod 75, which may be caused to stand in the path of a second pin 7 6, also carried by the arm 70. A pin 77*L prevents the simultaneous engagement of both rods with the pins 69 and 76. Relief-plates 78 are provided for the pawls 67 and 72.

lt will be seen that the movement of the sliding bracket 59, the extentV of which is determined by the selectors 7 and the 'pins 59, will cause the movement of the bar 60 up or down, according as one or the other of the rods 68 or 75 is brought into the path of movement of its respective pin 69 or V7 6. The means for controlling the rods 68 and 75 also are similar to those for moving the rods 33 and 37. Y Over the two left-hand selectors of the series 7 are placed two rods 77 and 78, which slide freely in bearings in the sliding bracket, ina bracket 7 9, attached to the side frame, and in the upper cross-tie. These rods are also provided with nuts 8681 and springs 82 and have the oppositely-set cams 83. Two slotted slides 84 and 85, held to the frame by bolts through the slots, have rigidly attached thereto, respectively, the arms 86 and 87 formed with cams corresponding to the cams 83. Levers 88 and 89, fulcrumed to the bracket 79, are pivoted loosely at their upper ends to the slides 84 and 85, respectively, and at their lower ends to slides 90 and 91, respectively. The slides 90 and 91 are in all respects similar to the slides 52 and 53, theslide 90 being formed for engagement with the rod 77 and the slide 91 t'or engagement with the rod68. The rods stand normally ont of the path of the pins 69 and 7 6, and the slid es and levers connecting them are restored to normal position after movement bya spring 92, the ends of which are connected to the slides 84 and 85. lf the selector beneath rod 77 finds a perforation in the stencil for its pin 7, as the cross-head moves` upward the selector Will. strike said rod and push it `upward, thrusting the arm 87, Vslide 85, and up- IOO IIO

per end of lever 89 to the right .and the lower end of lever 89 and the slide fil to the left,l bringing the rodv 68 intothe path of pin: 69,

, and thereby causing an upward Amovement of the slide-bar 6l and arm 60. If the selector beneath rod 78 iinds a perforation, the slidebar and arm would have a downward movement. It will be understood that both slidebars are held frictionally,k so that they will"y remain inwhatever position they are caused to assume by the pawl-carrying levers.

The object in view in attaching the pins position,` the pins 6," and 7a are raised from the series 59".

pleted its upward movement it again moves the stencil, whichl is immediately moved forward to bring a new setof perforations into,

position to allow' certain of the selectors to come into; operative position on the upward movement ot the cross-head. As the crosshead continues its upward movement one of the rods 43 4A' 77 78 (or one of each pair, if the desired movement of the tambour-frame is to have a direction between the horizontal and the vertical, is first struck by itsv selector, thereby bringing thexrod of one of the pawlcarrying levers into thepathof its pin on the sliding brackets; Thefurthcr upward movement of the cross-head brings the selector which is intended to operate the pin 24 or 59a,` corresponding in length with the desired pan-tograph movement, and which selector has been put in operative position bythe stencil, into contact with. said lpin 24a' or 59 and pushes it to the end of the upward movement, th-us giving the desi-red length of movement tothe previously-selected pawl-carrying lever and tothe pantograph.

pin 24"* or 59a; but if movement in any other direction is desired theny one selector 6 is operative beneath its pin in the series .24-w and one selector 7 is operative beneath its pin in After the cross-head has com- 'downward and near the end of its stroke begins again the round of operations described, and at the same time draws the sliding brackets to their initial position by means of the loose bolts 243 and 591.

By the term selectors, as used throughout this specification, I refer to the dogsA 6 and 7, which are carried by the cross-head and impart the motion thereof to the sliding brackets under the control of the stencilsheet. v

I have shown a single stencil or pattern sheet and have described it as made of paper If movement either vertically or horizontally is desired, only one selector in one series is operative beneath its ,'and perforated; but it is evident 'that one 'gstencil' might be used to give direction to the pantograph movements and another to determine their extent, and that the sheet maybe mad'e of other material or otherwise formed' @to have the desired act-ion upon the selectors. E I claim'- l. In an embroidering-macliine, the com bination, with a pantograph-arm, ot' avertically-moving bar and a horizontally-moving bar, reciprocating feeders having direct engagement with said bars, respectively, reciprocating selectors and sliding bracketsfor actuating the pantograph-arm through said feeders, and means intermediate said selectors and said brackets whereby the extent of movement of the brackets may be varied, other reciprocating selectorsand intermediate 1devices for moving certain of said feeders into or out of engagement with: said sliding brackets, a stencil-sheet reciprocating with said selectors and co-operating directly therewith to control their action, and areciprocating cross-head carrying said selectors, substantially as specified.

2.. The combination, with.apan-tograph-arm, of independent arms having cruciform arrangement andv independent. connection with said pantograph-arm, slide-bars carrying said arms, reciprocating devices for moving said bars in vertical and horizontal directions, reciprocating selectors and sliding brackets for reciprocating said devices` and thereby actuating the pantograph-arm, and means intermediate said selectors and said brackets whereby the extent of movement of the brackets may be varied, other reciprocating selectors, and intermediate means tomove Zcertain of said reciprocating devices into or out of engagementwith said slidingbrackets, a reciprocating cross-head carrying saidselectors, a stencil co-operating directly with said selectors and controlling their action,

mittingly, substantiallyas specified'.

3. The combinatiomwith independent horizontally and vertically'moving bars, of reciprocating devices for moving said' bars in hori zontal and vertical directions, reciprocating selectors and sliding brackets for recipro- {cating said devices and thereby actuating ysaid bars, and means intermediate said se- ?,lectors and said bracketswhereby the extent fof movement of the brackets may be varied7` other reciprocating selectors and intermediate imeans to move certain of said reciprocating devices into or'out of engagement with said sliding brackets, a reciprocating cross-head- 2 carrying said selectors, a stencil-sheet recipfrocating with and controlling the action of said selectors, and means for advancing said stencil-sheet intermittingly, substantially as g speciied.

, l. The combination, with a pantograph-arm, I of independent arms having connection therewith, slides carrying said arms and having f double racks, reciprocatory pawl-carriers for IZO imparting to said slides vertical and horizontal movement alternately or simultaneously, reciprocating` selectors and sliding brackets for actuating said paWl-carriers, and means intermediate said selectors and said brackets whereby the extent of movement of the brackets may be varied, other selectors and intermediate means for causing the engagement of certain of said pawl-carriers With said sliding brackets to determine the direction of movement of said slides, a stencilsheet for controlling the action of said selectors, and means for advancing the stencilsheet after every presentation and Withdrawal of the selectors, substantially as specified.

5v. In an embroidering-machine, the combination, With a pantograph-arm, of a slide-bar to which said arm is connected, a sliding bracket, means intermediate said. bracket and bar to actuate the latter, a series of pins of different lengths carried by said bracket, a`

series of reciprocating selectors for imparting movement to said sliding bracket throughsaid pins, and a reciprocating stencil-sheet to co-operate directly With said selectors and control their action, substantially as specified.

G. In an embroidering-machine, the combination, With asliding bracket for` actuating one direction and including an arm adapted to be moved into or out of the path of a projection on said bracket, similar devicesfor moving said slide in the opposite direction and including a similar arm adapted to be moved into or out of the path of a projection on said bracket, devices for moving one, or

the other of said arms into the path of said projection, other reciprocating selectors for Iactuating said devices, and a stencil-sheet tou co-operate with all of said selectors and 0011-.

trol their action, substantiallyas specified. ROSWELL T. SMITH,4 Attest:

OHAs. B. BEAsoM, -A. T. SMITH. 

